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Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
It's been a while since we did one of these, but our music news feature is back! Here are a few stories buzzing around the local music sphere.
>> Rob Curtis has left the Velvet Lounge. The most well-respected sound guy in the city has parted ways with the club, which recently came under new ownership. If you're not familiar with Curtis or the Velvet Lounge's superior sound system (which he developed), just take a tour through any Three Stars interview we've ever done; every local band loves to play there, and are quick to name Curtis' skill as the reason. We spotted Curtis this weekend manning the decks at the Rock & Roll Hotel — an addition that will only add to that club's quickly sky rocketing reputation. When we reported on the new ownership in January, Curtis' relationship with the Velvet Lounge appeared to be intact. We haven't received responses from either Curtis or the Velvet Lounge, so we're not sure what caused Curtis' departure or who will be helming sound at the VL moving forward. However, we're fairly certain that the owners that have implemented changes like a bright and shiny new website and gender-designated bathrooms won't let something as important as sound rest for too long without a solution.
>> Reminiscent of last year's Live Earth concerts across the world, nation wide Earth Day concerts are scheduled for April 20. Our fair city is on the list of participants — along with New York, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco. Hip hop legends The Roots will headline D.C.'s concert, which is set to take place on the Mall. Here's hoping this event's scheduling goes more smoothly than Live Earth's did.
>> Locals the Assrockers are saying goodbye to one bassist and hello to another. With the departure of JJ Rod, they're adding Bruce Falkinburg to their lineup. Falkinburg is a mainstay on the local music scene — both as a member of Hidden Hand and as a producer on albums by bands like Clutch, Wooly Mammoth and Adam West. The band will be playing out this spring and summer with the new lineup.
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Rob is proof that all this machinery making modern music can still be openhearted.
Earth Day? Ugh. One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity.
Clearly there is unrest in the forest. There is trouble with the trees.
It's great that Rob has moved on to bigger and better things. Maybe he can convince the R N R Hotel to put some heavy curtains and foam padding up on their stage... you know, sound guy 101 stuff.
Rob will surely be missed. He did such great work. ...too bad for us common folk.
and a rush comment as well. monkey, you're in rare form today!
Considering what other event generally occurs April 20, I wonder if this is just a ploy to round up a bunch of pothead Ricky Skaggs fans for a police CRACKDOWN?
Rob is a very talented soundman but can also be a bit of a bipolar condescending prick.
At this point though, I think anyone is an improvement on the sound at RnR. I can't even count all the shows I've seen there where the post-show discussions weren't on how the band played but rather on how deaf the sound man to make it sound as bad as it did. I'm pretty sure the reason Xiu Xiu played the Black Cat backstage is because last time they were in DC, the RnR sound person fucked up so much that Jamie called him out on it in the middle of a song.
Oh and then there was that set Belong did opening for Album Leaf, the whole reason my friends and I went to the show, when the right speakers kept cutting out on every song.
I had thought it to be common knowledge by now that the sound system at the Rock'n'Roll Hotel is pure crappola.
In defense of whatever sound person may have been dissed, I have heard many a testimony from bands and out-of-town sound techs alike that they had nothing to work with there.
I believe it shows where the R'n'R Hotel has its interests, and it looks like it ain't the music.
I think Rob will be a huge improvement to the sound at RnR.
Every show I've been to there has been way too loud and unbalanced.
I haven't been to a show since Rob started working there, but a friend who was there on Saturday said the sound was quite good. So I guess he's had an immediate effect.
Not only does the sounds suck at RnR Hotel but the layout is pretty awful too. The site lines are awful and there is a bar and a giant pillar in the middle of the floor. I hope Rob can whip the place into shape.
First hand and eye witness experience:
New improvements in place:
-shorter bar
-ABSOLUTELY never was there a pillar in middle of floor.
-larger stage
-new monitors
-new mains
-new amp rack
-age of Rock and Roll Hotel approx 1 year / 8 months
-Age of 9:30 approx 25 years, age of Blackcat approx 15 years
-Raise your hand if you've been ever been involved with a fully functioning, independent, live music venue from day 1 and it's entire growth process.
-How many small venues have you been to across the U.S that can bring in the kind of talent that this club hosts in your own city?
-Is DC spoiled by the huge rooms that they are more accustomed to see some of their favorites in?
-For the professional, the sound is not entirely controlled by FOH alone, the bands have A LOT to do with it. XIU XIU will be back 100% I can imagine since they've sold out backstage and are too small for mainstage.
-And people, give me a break, do you know how many poor sounding shows at both 9:30 and Blackcat has had over a combined 40 years of shows!!!! Not every band is going to sound like a CD or your hip IPOD commercial
One more thing about the R N R...how bout a case of beer in the dressing room instead of a few drink tickets? just trying to help.